The Forgotten One
by xanarific
Summary: Founded by an old Antique's Store owner living on the streets, a young girl is taken in with no recollection of her past. A wizard blood family later adopts her upon discovering that she is a witch, though who she is remains a mystery...
1. Chapter 1: The Shadow of the Forsaken

THE FORGOTTEN ONE

By: Xanarific13

I.

The Shadow of the Forsaken

It was a still night in the city of Matador Valley. Wind ruffled the trees gently as snow coated the leaves and stiffened them with a harsh ice, causing the few that remained on frost bitten branches to wither away and fall like their brothers. Lights hung about, embezzling the neighborhoods in it's wintry wonderland and giving life to the fact that it was the Holiday season once more. Even the darker roads of Matador Valley didn't neglect it's Christmas spirit, as here you could even see the glimpse of the occasional Christmas tree or the glint of blue icicle lights that hung neatly from a building down the road. Though these roads were traveled by the few, these few still had in their hearts the spirit of what Christmas really meant.

However, curled up in a ball on the sidewalk lie a young girl, merely a child forcing to huddle her way through another perilous night. She was not unlike other girls her age, though she was a little short, she had blue eyes and blonde hair which lied across the cobblestones wildly as she slept. She had an odd feeling about tonight, for within the last weeks, she had sat alone in the light on a bench, not having a home to go to, and as far as shes concerned, not having a home to leave behind, either. In fact, she knew not if she ever had a home at all, and if she did, why could she not remember it?

Though now wasn't the time she would fret about it. Presently, in the light of the shop doorstep where she lie, she was enjoying a very peaceful dream. Within the dream, she was holding some sort of brown stick and pointing it at a hat which she wished to levitate. Though not knowing the logic behind it, she did feel as if she would be able to move it, no strings attached. Supposing that this was normal, as any other magic show she had crept her way into, she just let it roll not thinking much of it.

Meanwhile, leaves whipped past her and icy wind blew soft snow onto her cheek. Used to this, the cold didn't bother her anymore, even if by this point, she had grown nearly as pale as the snowmen that the other children her age had lined the streets with. Yes she slept on, knowing well the numbness she would feel come morning, and also knowing well that she would get over it just as quickly as it came.

Darkness filled the night sky, and not a star could be seen against the bright streetlamps that illuminated the alleyways. At one point in the night, a white cat had snuggled up beside the girl, which made her respond by placing her arm around it and mouthing sleepily that she wanted to keep it and show it to all her friends, that is, if she had any. The cat got frightened when the girl reached to pet it, half-awake, half-asleep, and the cat let out a low hiss before running off into the nearby alleys to scout out some leftovers as it's meal. The girl, not frightened nor intimidated by this, dozed off again and recollected once more back into that dream of hers that she knew, even then, that it would all be forgotten once she woke up.

A loud crack protruded from somewhere nearby, as if someone had stepped onto a pond of thin ice. Jolting upright, her dream fading in only seconds, as she realized that this noise did indeed come from cracking ice, in fact, not paces in front of her she saw the boot of some man who had just stepped into a frozen over puddle. She looked up to see his face, but had to squint greatly because a street lamp loomed just behind his head, causing his face to become nothing more than a dark shadow. He stood there soundlessly for only a minute before stepping off again into an alley next door to the abandoned shop across the street. Not sure whether this figure was real or imaginary, the girl decided that, for her own safety, she would not go back to sleep that night, no matter how tired she was. Instead, she resorted to sitting on the doorstep of the antiques store that she had lumbered outside and wait until, just her luck, some man would walk up to open the door and let her inside.

But wait, she thought to herself. Is today not Saturday? This store might very well be closed today if it is!

As if in reply, the door then opened with a moan and a man stood there, staring directly into the girl's eyes for a minute or two. He was speechless, as if he were looking into the face of a ghost, which, given the circumstances, he might as well have been.

The girl stared back, wondering if she should invite herself into the store or just wait until the opportunity passed her by, like so many before. Just before she was about to step in, the man made a daring move, something that very few did if they saw homeless people sitting outside their doorsteps. He actually held out his hand and invited her in.

"Take a seat," he mumbled to the girl, motioning her to an old wooden chair that sat by a steel furnace. "Here now, let me get a fire going for you, and how about some cocoa? God knows how long you've been sitting out there."

With no reply, the girl still sat there and took the mug with a nod of thanks and sipped it. Never before, or at least that she could remember, had she tasted anything as sweet as this. The warm liquid rushed down her throat filling her insides with an instant warmth, and as if that were not enough, the man then provided her with a thick blanket before bending down to light the furnace. Then, grabbing a mug for his own self, he took a seat across from the girl and smiled.

"How do you like it," he inquired. "Not too sweet, I hope, and I added a pinch of mint for flavor. It's not my finest, but it should at least scare away that dreadful cold, eh?"

"It's wonderful," she said softly, this being her first words spoken in days.

"Now, before we continue, I'd like to get on a name to name basis, you know? No need sitting here with a complete stranger, it would at least be decent to know each others names. I am Charlie, and I am the owner of this shop, though we don't get many customers here. What is your name?"

For a moment, all went silent. The girl, now that she thought of it, had been wondering around this city for three weeks without any trace of who she was... Did she even remember what was going on earlier than three weeks ago?

"You... might find this strange," she replied slowly, "but I do not believe I have a name..."

The silence that followed was even deeper than the silence that had taken place before. The man looked at her, aghast, lost for words for the second time that night.

"No name?" he questioned. "How unusual... Well, I suppose we might have to just give you one then, wont we?"

The girl said nothing, for now, she was the one lost for words.

"How about... Jennifer," he asked, but the expression on the girl's face told him that this would not work. "Hmm... Lynnette?"

For a few minutes, he kept throwing out names, all of which the girl rejected with her facial expressions. Only when he said one particular name did her eyes light up, and she knew then that this was the one... Renee...

"Hmm, Renee, eh? I think that wont be too hard to get used to," said the man, noticing that this name had a different reaction than the ones previous. "I actually knew a girl named Renee at one time, a pretty fine lady at that. To be honest, I had a sort of a thing for her, but this had occurred years ago, at about the time when you had to take a horse to school instead of those fume-inducing buses. Bah," he snorted, "how times have changed..."

Renee, as she was now known as, said nothing. Instead she took another sip from her mug and enjoyed the warm fire, for she knew not how long this miracle would last.

"So," asked the man, "do you know how old you are?"

"Without thinking, Renee blurted out 13, as if she had known this number by heart all her life. Catching this, she then added "I think" afterward to more accurately display the truth. Why had she said that, she wondered to herself.

"Ah, 13, barely a teen," said the man. "Now what would a girl your age be doing out on the streets instead of being at home with your parents?"

"My, um... parents" she questioned. "I don't... believe... that I have any," she said slowly.

"Oh, I see," said the man, almost looking ashamed of himself for asking. "I apologize to you then. Here, are you hungry?"

Renee gave a brief nod but she wasn't thinking much of food at the time. Not a thought yet to her memory hinted anything about her having parents... But she must, something here was dangerously wrong. She wondered if she should go to the authorities for help, they would know what to do... right?

But all thoughts eluded her as a plate of biscuits was placed before her, steaming hot and fresh. Reluctantly, she bit into one, and if she weren't warm before, she was now, for the taste along with the heat entrapped inside the fluffy roll made Renee almost shiver, if it were possible, in warmth.

"Directly from the oven," said Charlie, "I do hope that you enjoy those, I would normally bake these on a special occasion."

"Oh?" spoke Renee, now finally finding the courage to speak to the man. "Surely you didn't know that I'd be coming tonight, so what is this occasion you speak of?"

"Well," he said, his smile suddenly turning into a deep frown, "if I must speak of it, I will. Today... Would have been my wife's... birthday..."

He then said no more, knowing that Renee would have more than likely gotten the message by now, which she did indeed.

"I'm so sorry to hear that," said Renee soothingly.

"Oh, don't concern yourself with it, it's nearly Christmas," he said. "However, I was heading out to see her in the graveyard down the street when I opened the door. You completely distracted me, which I suppose it's a good thing, she did tell me before her passing not to worry about her."

"I can see how that can be a hard thing to do," said Renee.

"Hard, indeed," spoke Charlie, almost in a whisper. "Ok, now normally I wouldn't do this, but I'm giving you a room upstairs for the night. No one needs to be sleeping out on the ice when there's a nice warm bed they can sleep in, eh?"

"Oh, thank you sir for the kind offer, but I'll be ok..."

"Ha! I've finally poured color back into you, miss, I cannot let you drain it all again in the cold! Tomorrow, I'll get you situated in the orphanage down the street. I know that it's not the greatest thing I can do, but I cannot keep you here forever. Trust me, with a face like yours, you'll find a good home soon enough!"

"Thank you very much sir," she said, "but... Why are you doing so much for me?"

"Oh trust me," he said, beaming, "I've been in a situation much like yours before. Only difference is that I refused the offer to sleep indoors. Ha, that very same night, a massive snowstorm piled into Matador Valley. I can't remember a more miserable time! I'd suggest you don't make the same mistake as I!"

"Good point," said Renee softly.

"Indeed," he replied. "Well, it's the second door on the left whenever your ready. Here's the key, help yourself to whatever you'd like in the shop! As for me... I've some... business... to take care of."

With that, key clapped in Renee's hand, Charlie piled out of the room before Renee could muster any more 'thank you's. She then made her way upstairs to the second bedroom on the left, opened the door and stepped inside. Flipping on the light, she observed the room had but one bed, a small lantern and alarm clock on the bedside table, and a single picture frame above that. The room had no windows, one small closet, and bathroom that you'd have to struggle in order to get your full body inside. Then, without thinking farther, Renee plopped onto the bed and covered up. If she had ever felt warmth before in her entire known life, this was it. Not the cocoa, the blankets, or even the biscuits stood a chance to this, and compared to the ice and cobble outside, the bed itself was heaven. Renee had a good feeling about what was ahead of her, and she knew now that whatever good was to come would not have been possible without this old man's generosity.

"Thank you Charlie," she mumbled into the dark, and just moments later, she was fast asleep...

Renee felt as if she'd been lying in bed for just ten minutes before she heard three knocks on her door. Awaking with a start, she sat up, stood, and walked over to open the door. When she did so, Charlie stood before her.

"Ah, there you are," he said. "I'm really sorry to disturb what was I'm sure a peaceful nap, but I called the orphanage this morning. When they said they'd be here fast, they really were fast!"

"Huh..." Renee said, rather timidly. "But-"

"Ok, quick, change into these," he said, holding a fresh set of neatly folded clothing. "I'd hate to keep these guys waiting any farther, and I'm so sorry I didn't give you much notice."

Without a word, Renee took the clothes from Charlie's outstretched arms and then proceeded into the bathroom to put them on. Though this new set wasn't in top quality shape, at very least it was clean. As for her old clothing, they were dirty beyond wash, so Renee supposed that this new set would have to do for now.

After two minutes, Renee stammered out of the tiny bathroom wearing a bright blue V-Neck as well as a slightly darker shaded blue skirt that stretched over her kneecaps. She got a fresh set of socks as well, but she had to continue wearing the same pair of ragged shoes that she had last night. Despite the new clothing, this didn't hide the fact that her hair was still a complete mess, showering in every which direction that it preferred. Charlie noticed this too, for he promptly handed her a thick band so that she could tie it up.

"Well, could do for a shower," he said, "but we do not have the time. Ready?"

"I suppose," she said, though she wanted so badly to just drop back into bed. Looking at the alarm clock, she noticed that it read 9:37. I could have slept until 2PM, she thought to herself.

"Next time I'll consider waking you up before I call," he chuckled. "I'm not going to say that you look... great, but given the circumstance, you're presentable."

"Thank you," she said... "I guess?"

Without another word spoken, Charlie ushered Renee out of the room and into the shop where two people, one man and one woman sat sipping a cup of coffee. They sat together at a booth, and the woman let out a welcoming smile at the sight of Renee, but the man, still taking a huge gulp from his mug ignored her for the time being.

"This is her," spoke Charlie, "she chose the right doorstep to spend the night. Had I not been leaving anyway, I would have completely missed her."

"I see," said the woman. "Take a seat, please dear," she added to Renee. She did so.

"Ah, good to meet you," said the man, shaking her hand. "My name is Mr. Trinkett, and I am the head at the orphanage. Now, I know this is all new to you, but we tend to think of it there as a family rather than an orphanage. Though we mourn with you about your past events, I cannot neglect to say that we are happy to have you with us!"

"Yes," said the woman. "I see old Charlie has been taking care of you?"

"He has," said Renee, "hes done an excellent job, too!"

"I don't see a bad bone in the man's body," said the woman. "Oh, and you can call me Eva, that's what everyone has grown accustomed to as of late. It is a pleasure indeed."

Renee smiled as she shook the woman's hand. For a few short moments, she felt peace of mind as if nothing would hurt her any further... But wait... What event could have possibly sent this thought into her mind? Had someone hurt her before? Could it be so that in that invisible time, there was some man out to do harm to her? If so, how could she not remember?

"Alright, hate to rush off as so, Charlie, but we ought to be going," said the woman. "It's always a pleasure to see you, and rest assured, we'll get our new friend into good home."

"Oh, I have no doubt about that," said Charlie. "And I apologize to you, Renee that you had to meet me at such a troubling time. I wish you best of luck, and I do hope I can see you again soon."

"Charlie," she said, "I want to say this now before I regret not saying it later on... Thank you, very much."

Walking out the door, Renee saw in Charlie's eyes a glint that seemed to illuminate the entire shop. After climbing into the cab, it took off in time for Renee to see him give one last wave and a smile. What lied ahead was her future, a life which, though she knew not her past, she had a great feeling about. She pressed her palms against the window as she watched the old antiques store disappear out of sight.

Renee, she then thought to herself. I don't know if the name means anything at all, but I have a good feeling that it gives a powerful meaning to me. But I guess time will tell...

NOTE TO READER:

At this time, it is hard to tell that this story has anything to do with Harry Potter at all, however, events will soon unfold that will tie it in. Though, the story itself has no link to Harry, you will find that it takes place in the timing of his children, years later, and references will be made to these characters. I do hope that you enjoy reading this story, even though it isn't my greatest work, and I encourage you to give me feedback via review so that I can make adjustments on key elements that will improve my writing.

Thank you very much.


	2. Chapter 2: The Oklan Family

THE FORGOTTEN ONE

By: Xanarific13

II.

The Oklan Family

It had been four months since the day that Renee had met Charlie, and since then she had not seen nor heard from him. The Orphanage which she now resided was at the other end of Matador Valley, and here she was close to a good school, a small but loyal number of friends, and above all, she had her own bed, her own clothes, and own life. The only problem was that few families took much interest in her, which came as a shock mainly to Eva and Mr. Trinkett, for they had expected that Renee would have been adopted a long time ago.

As for the families who did take interest, something made them turn away, as if there was some rejecting force that pushed them back. Eva, after this had happened for the third interview in a row, tried to console her telling her that "it just wasn't meant to be."

On the fourth interview, something odd happened. She had just settled down in front of a young couple and were getting into detail about their twin boys that they had when the lights suddenly cut. For a moment, the mother of the twins completely stopped talking, and when the lights flickered on again, Renee had noticed that she and the mother had somehow switched chairs, though neither of them had moved at all. Renee was now seated at the right hand side of the father, as the mother now sat in Renee's seat. Luck must not have been in her favor that day either, for this frightened them out so badly that they had ran out of the building faster than their boots could hit the wooden floor. Renee, who was rather excited about meeting the twins that she had been hearing of, got a little psyched out herself before looking around again to see if it wasn't so. However, it was what is was.

Another event happened the next interview. This time, she sat face to face with a man in his forties, boasting that he was single, wished to remain so, but he had four young sons who, based on the stains on his clothing, wanted to become artists. Renee chuckled at the sight of the marker stains on his while suit, as did he, and for a while she felt that this one might work after all. But then, her luck faded once more as above them, the ceiling fan started rotating uncontrollably fast. This wouldn't have been so bad, had one of it's blades not shot off and flown toward the shelf that just so happened to hold two open buckets of paint. The first one, a bright red, simply knocked over, spilling it's contents onto the wooden floor. As for the second one... To put it short, the man walked out with mighty pink blotches on his suit to match the marker stains.

Even though these events that occurred were indeed not Renee's fault, they did enough to scare the interviewers into not returning. So, time ticked on with no result until one day, a family called the Oklans walked into the orphanage. This had happened at the very start of Summer Break. They were looking to possibly adopt a girl at around Renee's age, so at hearing this, she grew excited. Watching out of her upstairs bedroom as a large SUV pulled into the lot, she first noted that the driver had done a very sloppy job in parking. But that thought was thrown aside as the driver then stepped out of the vehicle. From the opposite door, a lady had stepped out as well. Then, the back doors opened...

The first of the children was a girl who seemed to be around sixteen. She was a tall, dignified looking lady who seemed as if she would make an excellent leader in life. Her hair was brown and she wore crooked glasses that glinted in the bright noon sunlight.

Second to step out was a boy who looked no older than ten. He was holding what appeared to be a cat in his arms, but Renee then heard the mother scowl, demanding that the cat remained in the car. Third came another girl, only she looked about Renee's age. All Renee could do was listen to her talk, for she seemed even from the get-go to do nothing but talk. Then, another sister stepped out, looking only a year or two older than this one.

Finally, the fifth and last to step out of the vehicle was a boy who seemed to be the tallest and oldest of them all. This one had red hair that seemed to lengthen to his shoulders, and he wore on his shirt a bright emerald colored emblem at which Renee had not seen before. At last, the doors closed and the family of seven made their way to the door of the orphanage. Renee had a really good feeling about this group, so she hurried as fast as she could to get herself ready.

Moments later, there was a knock on her door.

"Renee, I forgot to tell you that... Oh!" Eve froze. "Hmm, well I guess Trinkett must have told you about your interview today, because I know that I did not. Amazing, cudos to him, he never remembers anything!"

That was when Renee realized that no one even told her that this family was there for an interview at all, and that she wasn't even expecting to have one today. She hoped desperately that this would finally be her time as she shoved open the door and bolted down the stairs to the recreation room. She only slowed her pace when she reached the door that separated the family from her, but she felt a tug on her arm before she was able to open it.

"Easy there," said Eva. "My, I've not seen you this excited about an interview before. I thought you didn't like meeting new people."

"Well... Lets just say I have a good feeling about this group," she smiled.

"Hmm, I see... Well, I think I might have to join you this time then," said Eva. "That way you don't get too excited."

With that behind, Eva then walked Renee into the room and sat her down. "Good day to you, she spoke."

"Pleasure to meet you," said the father. "My family wouldn't have it when I said that I'd be the only one coming up here today, so I had no choice but to bring them. Anyway, I am Christopher Oklan, and beside me is Wendy Oklan, my wife. Directly behind me is my eldest son, Ryan, and then we have Amanda, who is second on the list. Then, Callie, who is fourteen, Sarah, who is thirteen, and finally Ian, who is ten. It's nice to meet you, Renee."

"Indeed it is," said Ryan Oklan.

"Hi," said Callie rather timidly.

"Good to meet you all too," said Renee. "Wow, you have a really nice family."

"Thank you," said Wendy with a smile. "You're very polite."

"Alright, shall I get our guests something to drink?" suggested Eva, eying the kitchen.

"Oh yes, please do," said Wendy, thinking of a nice cup of coffee.

Eva then left the room, leaving Renee alone with this family. Just a few minutes earlier, she had been excited to talk to them, but now nothing but nerve settled inside of her as she looked at them face to face. She was thankful when Christopher decided to speak first.

The conversation began with them talking about who they were along with their hobbies, and they then asked Renee the same. Nerve boiled inside her, as she had predicted that something would go terribly wrong as it always did. She prayed to God that this wasn't so, even from the start she was beginning to really like this family, especially Sarah who seemed to have a knack for making her laugh. All of them, in fact, seemed to be really attached to her, and they talked there for two full hours past the time they were supposed to leave. They had even offered to take her out to lunch, however they weren't allowed to take her out of the orphanage just yet, so they had to settle for take out. Thanking this new family greatly, Renee gave a smile before she had to proceed inside once more to her bedroom. Eva even was delighted for her, and she congratulated her as she approached telling her that she has a really great chance with this one.

But despite her success, Renee did notice one thing: This family kind of hesitated when Renee asked about school and home life. She had no clue why this was, maybe it was for the sake of such information being personal, but she decided she wouldn't press it any farther. The family would be back later that week, so she would have plenty of time to talk to them.

Apart from that, there was nothing odd that had happened that meeting. Her luck had turned at last, and she still had a really great feeling that this would work out. She had nothing but the Oklans on her mind that evening when she went to take her daily stroll. And through dinner, through bedtime, they were all she could manage to think about.

There were three more interviews between the first encounter with the Oklans between when she would see them a second time. Oddly, unlike before, more families than ever had begun to take interest in her, but none of these families seemed to catch her own interest as much as the Oklans did.

So, she purposely tried to ignore the questions of the interviewers in hopes that they would just leave and give up on her. Finally, on the morning of Wednesday, Renee decided to take one more morning walk before she would face this family again in just a couple hours.

As she stepped out onto the streets of Matador Valley, she began to walk about alone, hoping badly that she would be able to leave this place at last. Knowing the city well by now, she was able to tell where every park, mall, theater, or restaurant was located, and people would often ask her for direction now for the locals were beginning to catch onto this. But this day, she was approached by no one, for very few traveled the back roads that lead to the south side. She wanted to find Charlie, if all possible, for still she'd not seen him since the cold winter night that he let her in.

Clouds filled the sky to breaking point that morning, and an odd chill engulfed the normally warm summer air. Thinking this was just an aftereffect of Spring, Renee walked on, eager to find again that same antiques shop which had changed her life. But the roads that she took didn't lead over to the south side in which she was hoping, but instead, she found herself facing alley after alley en route to an area known as Matadorous, the worst part of town.

"Tis some very shady folk lurkin' in Matadorous," she had once heard, though the voice she heard it from she could not distinguish. "You'd best keep yer mind out if ye know whats best for ye."

But this day, she had not an idea that she was headed there at all. Never before had she stepped foot on this side of the city, and she wished it to remain this way. However, there are some things that cannot be helped, especially in desperation of attempting to seek someone at which you don't know where he is. It was only when Renee was halfway down the first road did she realize where she was...

The buildings here were much older and weather-beaten than on the other parts of town. Trash littered the broken roads, and there was an odd stench filling the air, engulfing the whole of the place. Renee knew at once that she must turn back.

Wheeling around toward the direction at which she came, she cautiously attempted to retrace her way back through the maze of alleys that would lead back onto some road that was recognizable. Though, poor Renee didn't get her wish, as she stepped out once more onto one of the deserted roads of Matadorous, this time in a more open area full of shacks, most of them missing roofs. Now she was beginning to become frightened once more.

"Hello there," said a suspicious voice. "Are you lost?"

"Um, no," she said. "I need to deliver..." her mind was racing fast.

"Deliver? Oh? So, lets see it then!"

Renee wished she hadn't said anything at all, for coming up with a lie did nothing to help her cause. She slowly backed into the wall and made a dash down the old crumbled street taking little time to observe her surroundings. Legs weak and out of breath, she at length stopped in an alley which appeared to be deserted save a single white house cat lined with orange stripes.

"I don't like this place," she told the cat, whispering and thankful that she had someone to speak to. "I don't like it at all. And what are you doing here anyway?"

As if to reply, the cat let out a meow that echoed against the brick walls in the alley. The cat then stared into Renee's eyes, as if it wanted to tell her something.

"I think I've seen you before," said Renee. "Where do live?"

Soundlessly, the cat just curled up in a ball and fell asleep on Renee's lap. Delighted to see some comfort in this forsaken territory, Renee made no motion to wake it, but she must... In just half an hours time, the Oklan family would arrive at the orphanage for their second visit. What would they think if they found that Renee wasn't there?

A loud crack took Renee out of her trance, a noise not dissimilar to the one that had woken her on that night on Charlie's doorstep. She stood at once, forgetting about the cat that huddled there with her, and the cat awoke and ran off into the alleys alone. Now, more psyched out than ever, Renee decided it would be for the best that she stood her ground, maybe she would not get noticed. From the corner of her eye, she could make out a single figure emerging from an open doorway. Making no movement, she was able to distinguish that the man had his had gripped tightly onto something, like a pipe or a handle, though what it really was she couldn't tell. He didn't notice Renee standing there, hidden in the dark as he whizzed by. Instead, he ran off as if he were in a rush to get somewhere.

Something, though she didn't know what, made Renee feel that she had seen this same man before. Could he have possibly been the one whom she had noticed that first night?

Another figure emerged from an alley, the very same which the stray cat had run down before. She was a tall figure, one who seemed rather out of place given the conditions. She held that cat in her arms as she walked, gasping at the sight of Renee.

"My my," she said. "I... I know you."

Renee didn't speak, she was too lost for words to say anything.

"What are you doing in Matadorous," she asked. "Come, let me get you back to the orphanage where you belong."

Relief spread through Renee's body at the sound of these words. All she wanted now was to get back home, or at least to this place that was supposed to be home. Following her out of the ally, she led Renee out next to a shop at which she recognized at once.

"It's Charlie's antiques, store," she exclaimed, then running off to the door. She knocked three times, but no one answered the door. In fact, the shop looked abandoned, as if it had been that way for years. The floors, the trinkets, and all the shelves were coated in thick layers of dust, and the bakery glass that once held the delicious rolls couldn't be seen anymore.

"What of it, dear?" asked the woman. "I didn't realize that anyone even owned the place."

Ignoring her, Renee knocked several times on the door, but no one answered. She could hear the fierce scurry of rats running to hide within the walls, but other than that, all was silent.

"But, I don't understand," she said. "I guess he isn't in right now."

"Isn't in? Ha, no one has set foot in that place for nearly a century! So of course no one is in."

Renee didn't believe her as she said this. She then placed her hand on the handle and turned the knob, to which her surprise, the door opened, letting an ancient light fill the room. The floorboards groaned because of old age as she stepped inside. Dust floated in the air, creating a dense fog to fill the whole of the place, and a musty smell arose from somewhere within the walls.

"Renee, what are you doing?" asked the woman. "You have no idea what could be floating around in there!"

It was then that she noticed a long crooked brown stick lying on the table. Crafted to look like a wand that she'd seen magicians use in their night shows, it began to roll away as Renee stepped closer. She could just make out a large C engraved on the handle as it plummeted to the ground, falling between the cracks in the floorboards.

"How odd," she whispered.

Roaches seemed to be the only creature alive in the place, just like it had been for, according to the woman, over a century. Only when she remembered about the Oklans did Renee realize it was time to go. They'd be arriving at the orphanage soon, if they weren't there already, and she was sure the Eva would have a fit when she ran to fetch Renee to find her missing.

The woman led Renee through twisting roads, each step putting more distance between them and Matadorous. Taking no time for break, they arrived at a quarter to twelve, fifteen minutes after the expected arrival time of the Oklans. As Renee drew nearer, she could already see their Black SUV parked in the lot, and once again, excitement welled inside her.

But, she had just one question for the woman before she'd be on her way. She turned to her and asked: "Excuse me, but what were _you_ doing in Matadorous?"

The expression on her face grew grim, and she opened her mouth as if she were about to speak, but then thought better of it. "Don't concern yourself with that," she said at last. "Just be happy that you're safe now."

With one last thanks and a pet on the cat's head, Renee proceeded inside to the foyer. Eva was already there, waiting with a furious look about her face.

"And _where_ have you been?" she demanded. "You do realize that your meeting should have started fifteen minutes ago!"

"I know," replied Renee. "I got lost."

"Got lost? Anyone can tell by the way you look! Go, clean up and make haste, no need to keep them waiting longer than you should!"

"Yes ma'am," she replied without question, and hurried upstairs.

A fine box of truffles was waiting on the table for her when Renee arrived. She sent a friendly "hi" to the family before sitting down in front of them.

This time, all but one of the Oklans sat before her. The eldest, Ryan, wasn't present this meeting, but she guessed that his matters were not her business, so she neglected to ask.

"Sorry," she said shyly. "I got lost in town today."

"Not to worry," said Wendy. "It's so good to see you again!"

"Same to you," she replied.

By the time the meeting was done, Eva took Renee aside, still worried about what had happened in town that day. She questioned her about her whereabouts, and was shocked when Renee told her.

"Matadorous?" she exclaimed worriedly? "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?"

"I of course didn't mean to go there," she said calmly. "I sort of... Fell upon it!"

"Fell upon it," she repeated angrily, "and how could one just simply FALL UPON a place like that? Do you realize the types of people who LIVE in Matadorous?"

"If I didn't before," she said slowly, "I do now. I was actually trying to seek out Charlie."  
"Charlie? Now who is Charlie?"

"He owned the antiques shop on the other end of town," she replied. "If it weren't for him, I'd probably frozen up and died last winter."

"Don't you speak like that," said Eva. "And I do not recall a man named Charlie."

"He did call," she said. "You sent out a cab to come pick me up."

Eva then froze and stared at her for a while, unsure of what her next words would be. Finally, she put her hand on Renee's forehead and sighed.

"Oh," she said. "You have a fever, are you feeling ok?"

Renee didn't respond but instead she stormed out of the room and back upstairs. Once she reached her own bedroom, she slammed the door and then made a jump for her bed. How could Eva not remember the day she was picked up? After all, it WAS Eva that Charlie spoke to that day... Wasn't it? Or maybe this was all a mere hallucination?

Renee thought for a moment. Yes, it was very likely, after all, she had little recollection of her life before she met Charlie. Maybe now, her mind was somehow filling in the gaps and making her believe things that were not real... But there the memory was, clear as day in her mind. She could even remember the exact taste of the biscuits that had been provided for her.

Minutes later, her curiosity got the better of her as she sat at her computer desk and typed in "Matador Village Antiques Shop" in the browser. At first, it brought back no results, but then...

THE MATADOR ANCIENTS

FOUNDED IN 1862

In 1862, located in the new founded city of Matador Valley, a shop was built that sold crafts and metalwork intended for hobbyists. This shop was known as the Matador Ancients, and it was founded by the Marcas family, a family that had lived in poverty for years before. Located on the northwest strip of the city, this side of town became one of the most well known places within that region of the countryside.

Within just three years, the Marcas family grew from being one of the poorest families in Matador Valley to among the wealthiest, and their shop had become almost a symbol of that region. Selling many different trinkets and gizmos, they took pride in not just their art, but their finds as well, as the Marcas family began seeking out lost artifacts, such items that were favored by those of higher status.

However, in year 1885, a dispute broke out as one of the customers of this fine shop complained that some of the items were, para-normally speaking, bewitched. Documents were recently found stating that a hand crafted vase, bought July 6, 1884 from that very same shop had housed a spirit. Though the spirit was never identified, it is said that it was responsible for killing off the buyer of the product. Locals didn't believe this story at first until one day, when the evidence had shown up on trial, the entire jury claimed that they were able to hear a distinct howling from the vase.

The shop was closed down since, though few investigators took the time to go inside the shop to look for more activity. It is believed that no one has stepped foot inside this shop since then, as very few even decided to walk upon the same road.

As for the Marcas family, the shop owner was hung for murder on September 15, 1886, and the rest of the family moved into a side of the city that is now known as Matadorous. There, they took again their life of poverty as the region around them crumpled out of existence, but the shop alone still stood.

Today, Matador Valley still stands, since renewed to it's former glory but not without a price. Even after it's crumble, Matadorous lived on and is said to be home to some of the shadiest villagers that reporters had set eyes on. The city now flourishes as any other like it, but the fate of the old antiques shop is still unclear.

It seemed as if hours had passed before Renee was able to avert her eyes from the screen. How then, could it be possible if no one had stepped foot in there for over a century? Now, even she was beginning to doubt Charlie, could he have possibly been the spirit that this story spoke of? And if he was, why would he have killed anyone?

Questions flooded her mind about her past, some that seemed very close to answering, but some that she felt would never be answered. It wasn't until there was a faint knock on her door did she finally peel away.

"Yes," she said, still rather frustrated that Eva didn't believe her.

"Look," she said, "I wasn't trying to upset you, Renee. But I cannot help but worry if you've been gone as long as you were. So, I apologize."

For a moment it went silent as neither spoke. Finally, Renee gave a quiet "it's ok", but said nothing more afterward.

"By the way," said Eva, showing happiness for the understanding, "I do believe that this family will be a good one for you. I can most definitely see it working out."

"I feel the same way," she said. "They do seem to like me."

"Almost too much," she laughed, opening the door. She then handed Renee the box of truffles that had been waiting on the table earlier. "They brought these to you. I guess they forgot to mention it."

"Thank you," she said, bringing back her signature smile. "Do you know when they will be back again?"

"Well, it's looking like on Saturday, if you can manage to wait that long!"

Renee had to chuckle. She had been fascinated with this family since the first meeting, and by the looks of it, her late showing today didn't change a thing. She was eager to know more about them, so playing the waiting game was indeed excruciating.

Weeks passed on and the Oklans visited three times a week. With every visit, they grew closer and closer together, almost to the point where you wouldn't be able to tell that she wasn't their daughter. Finally, about mid-way through August, the Oklans approached her telling her that they finally wished to adopt her.

The news was followed by excited cheers from the other children at the orphanage as well and vigorous clapping from Eva and Mr. Trinkett. Renee herself was so excited that she almost stood and clapped for herself. She was speechless.

But, as good as it might seem, there was one more obstacle that blocked this miracle: Custody Rights. Once granted, she would finally be able to see that home of theirs in the country that they spoke so much about. Despite the fact that they keep saying 'it's not much to look at', Renee desperately wished to see it at last. This, she thought, was her chance...

The time came when she and the Oklans went to trial. At first glance, all started out ok, but a problem arose... Renee did not have a birth certificate, nor did she have any documents that stated who her parents were. From this point, they had to take a break to see if they could come up with anything at all, but no luck.

But after a bit of arguing on the feud, the Oklans were indeed granted custody of Renee, which made her feel as if she were the happiest person who'd even walked out of a courtroom. At last, she'd be able to leave the thoughts of Matadorous behind, and instead plan for what was ahead. However, there was something that did happen during the hearing... In actuality, odds were looking _against_ the Oklans rather than for them, mainly because of the fact that she had nothing to present. This had greatly disheartened Renee, as she then lept from her seat and began running toward the door. When she was just ten paces away from the exit, they burst open and in flew a snow white owl. Clutched in it's talons was a bundle of papers which, upon reaching the judge in the front, he dropped them in front of him neatly, nibbled at his ear for a second, and then flew off into the wild. The judge froze as he read what the mysterious papers had said.

"Hold right there," he commanded after a long pause.

The Oklans grew silent, staring into the eyes of the blank-faced judge.

"I hereby award custody of Renee Michelle Everson to Christopher and Wendy Oklan," he said at last, very slowly and moving nothing but his pale lips. "Now, given the odd circumstance, it appears I've little a choice. I wish you the best, and remember..."

But the judge had said no more. At this, he fell from his seat in shock, causing a panic to stir within the room. Renee, who was unaware of what had just happened, was more confused than happy at first, until she saw what papers lie on the judge's desk.

On top lie what was her Birth Certificate, that is, if it were hers at all. Under that, there was a letter, though Renee could not make out the signature as to who it was from. She wanted to see what else lie there, but Christopher Oklan took them up and placed them in a manilla folder, out of sight.

"He was almost late," he chuckled. "Now now, I believe we have some explaining to do to our new daughter, don't we?"

Renee blinked, not sure whether that owl was real or imaginary. Wendy noticed this and gave her husband a nod. That was when they proceeded on the journey to her new home, by which time she would find out things about her that would change her life completely...


	3. Chapter 3: The World that She Never Knew

THE FORGOTTEN ONE

By: Xanarific13

III.

The World That She Never Knew

During this particular visit, the day of the hearing, all the children had to remain behind, which Renee didn't understand why. After custody was granted however, she soon found out. Climbing into the back seat of the Oklan SUV for the very first time, she knew that something was different. She could feel it, sense it, like a presence that she had known, yet never known.

The first stop was again at the orphanage. Booming cheers echoed through the halls as she told everyone what had happened, tweaking the story a little bit in order to omit the part about the sudden appearance of a snow owl in court. When Renee had loaded all her belongings into the back section of the SUV, she asked her new parents about the owl. They laughed.

"Well, if you want to know," said Christopher, "which you will need to know, actually, I suppose we should start at the beginning."

For a moment or two, it got quiet. Christopher Oklan put the vehicle in drive, and they took off once more, him driving a little recklessly, but this didn't bother Renee.

"Well," he began, "This is going to be shocking, I won't lie, but I have a good feeling that you'll be able to handle it okay. Did you happen to notice that, at the interviews before we came, that every time, something... Odd, would happen."

Again, all grew silent, except for the light bumps in the road as he drove.

"Yes," replied Renee. "How did you know?"

"Ok, let me put it this way," he spoke. "When we looked into your face the day we met, I felt a sort of... Connection, if you will. We all did, in fact, and we knew right away that you were... Well, one of us."

"One of you? You mean you wanted me in your family even when we first met?"

"We did, yes," he chuckled, "But... Ok, this harder for me to explain, so I'll just cut to it. You, along with me, my wife, and our children are all part of a world, a world that is much different than yours. We are... Sorcerers..."

Again, as it had been happening very often within this one ride, all grew silent, only this silence seemed deeper than the ones previous. Finally, Renee mustered up the courage to speak.

"Sorcerers... Like... Magicians?"

"You could say that," he said, "though this kind of magic is not some dingy card show, no. This is the result of fusing troll brains with snake venom, or of the wave of a wand getting objects to work for you... Or... Of the wave of a wand... Ending ones life..."

"Not of course to make this sound dark," said Wendy, finally speaking, "As there is good mixed with evil in the muggle world, it is the same in ours."

"Excuse me?" inquired Renee. "Did you just say... Muggle?"

"Oh dear," thought Wendy aloud. "This will take a bit of work..."

"A muggle," said Christopher, "is a person of no magical blood. Ordinary folk."

"I see," she said, her mind somehow landing on Matadorous as they spoke. "Well... Is there a way to tell these... Muggles, and sorcerers apart?"

"Well," said Wendy, "there is no real way to tell just by looking at one, no. However, that blood that runs within your veins is not of ordinary type. It takes only that type to perform this... magic."

"I understand," said Renee... "Oh, um, you ran a red light!"

As she had said, Christopher did indeed run a light, and not but moments later did two cop cars begin to whiz in their direction. Chris let out a curse under his breath as he then pulled aside and let the cops confront him.

"Forgive me," he said, looking disapprovingly at his own self. "I'm not accustomed to driving muggle vehicles."

"You mean to say that what you operate is different in your world?"

"Our world," corrected Wendy, "and yes. In the magical world, we have no use for cars, telephones, TVs, all this other stuff that you're so used to, Renee. You will find that we operate much more smoothly without those forsaken items!"

"Forsaken? What makes you say that?"

"Eh... Well," she spoke rather nervously, "We're I guess what muggles would call... Environmentalists. Not to say that it's all your fault for, eh, pollution and all, but because we have a way to improvise and save the wild, we enforce all means of doing so. You do understand, correct?"

"Oh, I see," she said, rather disheartened, for she couldn't imagine life without the usual comfort of technology, even though, to her knowledge at least, she'd known it for only half a year.

The cop stepped up beside the trio and gave Chris a nasty smile.

"License and registration," he demanded robotic-ally.

"Um... Oh," he said worriedly, realizing suddenly that he'd left these at home by mistake. "Well, I'm really, really sorry about this officer..."

Renee watched carefully as Christopher pulled out a long wooden stick from the glove box. This must be his wand, she thought.

"OBLIVIOUS MINOR," he chanted, and a wisp of black smoke circled the air around the officer's head. Not wanting to miss any detail, Renee watched closely as he quickly hid the wand behind him. The officer blinked and stared at him in a trance.

"Oh dear," he said, "Well, I know I pulled you over for something, though what I cannot remember. Ok then, I'm sorry, you are free to go."

Without another word, Christopher put the car in drive and then pressed on the petal, accelerating slowing until they were out of range of the cop.

"That was _amazing,"_ said Renee excitedly! "How did you-"

"Now one thing," he said. "If there's any rule that you should abide by, you must never use magic on or in front of muggles. They must not know we exist!"

"Huh? Then-"

"With one exception," he said. "That was merely a demonstration. Spells like the minor mind-wipe charm and such are okay only if the situation calls. Like there, don't go wiping peoples minds for the fun of it now."

"I see," said Renee. "That was still incredible!"

"Oh, that's not the half of it," he said. "You'll be learning that one in charms."

"Charms? You mean... At a school?"

Wendy and Christopher both smiled.

"Indeed," he said.

Renee almost groaned. She'd completely forgotten about school, and the fact that the next semester would be starting very soon. She was really not looking forward to boring math or science again, that is, unless...

"This school," she wondered, "I don't suppose it's like..."

"Muggle school?" finished Wendy in question. "Trust me, it's as close yet as far as you can get from a muggle school!"

"Glad we brought this up," said Christopher. "Almost as soon as we arrive, you'll be having to leave again. You see, all witches and wizards are required to complete seven years at school. The one you will be attending, with your new siblings of course, is called Hogwarts, and it's as fine a school can get as far as I'm concerned."

"Oh wow, do tell me about it," she said eagerly.

"Well, I can't spoil everything now," he replied, "but I will tell you this: Unlike muggle school where they enforce safety and such over all else, Hogwarts puts you right in there. You will learn to cast numerous magical defense spells, brew potions such as Living Death and Hyraamacuxx, learn to change goblets into mice, take on the worthless art of divination, that sort of thing."

Wendy laughed. "Oh Chris, Divination wasn't THAT bad a class!"

"Well, some are more interesting than others, I guess," he replied. "Either way, I'm sure you have plenty more questions to ask, however, it'll have to wait until after lunch. For now, let us stop and eat. Meanwhile, I'll fill us up on gas."

Christopher then pulled up to a small restaurant called Gas up and Dine. Renee couldn't help but laugh at the stupidity of the name.

"These muggles," said Wendy...

Lunch consisted of fried fish and a basket of french fries. Renee was rather content with the meal, but her new parents apparently thought otherwise, for she watched her new mother rush over to the bathroom halfway through the meal. She just couldn't keep it in.

"Is it that bad?" she asked.

"Satisfying," he replied. "Nothing more."

After lunch, they loaded up once more and continued driving until, at last, they reached the Matador Valley city limits. Knowing that only flat land sat between here and Stonewall Oak, where they apparently resided, he then put the vehicle into it's highest gear and floored it.

It was at that time that Renee noticed a newspaper sitting under Christopher's seat. Not usually the nosy type, her curiosity eventually got the better of her, and she picked it up and began to read. The Daily Prophet was the name of this paper, and what had caught her attention initially was the fact that the printed images were indeed moving, like a TV animation, but on a newspaper.

VAMPIRE LORD'S KEEPER SACKED?

STORY BY: STANTON E. NIX

The Captain of the Brazilian Quidditch team, the Vampire Lords, decided to sack their keeper Roosevelt A. Sparter after he had missed the block for a seventh time in a row. Within the most recent game, after being denied a break from the Captain of the team, he 'accidentally' decided to miss the shots and allow the Polish team, the Sabertooths, to score seven goals in a row. His infuriated teammates, after finally gaining a lead on this undefeated opponent rounded on him, one of the beaters 'accidentally' knocking a bludger directly into Sparter's chest. As the beater only got a minor probation for this act, Sparter was removed from the team permanently, much to the relief of the team captain Kristen B. Snout. She later told the press that shed "been looking for a good reason to rid of him anyway" and that "[Sparter] was not setting a good example to those who wished to play Quidditch." After his release, Sparter did swear that he would come back again, however when he does, it'll be certain that he will not be playing for the Vampire Lords.

As this story fascinated her, Renee could not take her eyes off of the graphic printed on the paper. It was of a man wearing a robe and holding what looked like a small version of a baseball bat. He rode on a broomstick, which up until now, Renee thought might have been a joke even in this world. However, there he sat in black and white, glaring at her from between the pages.

"What exactly is Quidditch," she asked her new parents. A bit started by this sudden question, Wendy was the one to answer.

"Ah yes," she said, "Quidditch is our, um, sport."

"Oh, so as muggles have football and basketball, we have this Quidditch."

"Precisely," she said. "As you can see by the newspaper that you're holding in your hand, Quidditch is a game played up in the air on broomsticks. How it works is that you have four balls in play, one called a quaffle, two of them being what are called bludgers, and one tiny one called a snitch. The goal of the game is to get the quaffle into one of three hoops in order to score points for your team. But, there's a catch. You have, firstly, one member called a keeper."

"Oh, I think I know what he does," said Renee. "He must be like the goalie or something."

"That is exactly who he is," smiled Wendy. "Now, as you have members of your team trying to score the points and keep the points from being scored, you also have what are called beaters. These guys are responsible for knocking the bludgers into the way of the other team."

"I don't think I follow," said Renee. "What exactly do bludgers do?"

"Bludgers fly around the pitch almost at their own will and try to interfere with the game. Beaters will either try to knock the bludgers out of the way of their own team, or into the way of their opposing team. Now you can see how this could get sort of dangerous."

"Ouch," she said, imagining what it would be like to have a twelve pound steel ball hit her in the face. "Ok, and you mentioned one last ball."

"Yes, the snitch. This final member of the team is who is known as a seeker. The snitch is a tiny golden ball that will roam around the field until caught by the team seeker, thus ending the game. But, the game will continue to go on until this ball is caught, and when it's caught, their team will gain an extra 150 points on top of the 10 points that they had already scored per goal."

"Oh, I get it," she said. "So keepers defend goals, beaters knock out bludgers, seekers find snitch. That sounds almost too easy... Except for the bludger part, he he..."

The ride continued in silence, up until the point when they finally reached a turn marked with a sign reading Stonewall Oak. Ahead was it, a large house that towered up four stories tall and was surrounded by a thick layer of trees. Renee gasped at the sight of it.

"Like we said, it's not much," said Christopher, "but welcome home..." 


	4. Chapter 4: The Wandering Eye

THE FORGOTTEN ONE

By: Xanarific13

IV.

The Wandering Eye

Renee's new siblings were rather shocked to see that their parents had adopted Renee so quickly, however, this surprise only made the situation all the better, for she was greeted with many different cheers and applause from her new family. She was very happy to see them as well, but almost more to just to get out of that SUV.

"Welcome," said Sarah. "What a surprise, I didn't know you were coming."

"You got that right," said Callie. "So I'd guess she knows by now?"

"Yes," said Wendy. "She knows."

"Pretty amazing things if you ask me," said Renee, thinking back still to the demonstration that her new father had shown her earlier. "I have a feeling I'm really going to like it here."

"Not with _me_ around," joked Callie. Renee laughed.

For the following hours until dinner, the family proceeded to help Renee unload all her belongings from the SUV and take them upstairs to the third floor bedroom where she'd be staying. This room was large, fitted with three windows that shed plenty of light into the room, or at least it would had a giant oak not been blocking the sun. Nonetheless, Renee enjoyed her new view, stating that she'd be able to sit there for hours, just looking at the wildlife outside.

Her bed was made, to her surprise, of bamboo, as was a great majority of the furniture in the house. When she asked Callie about it later, she was told that their father was a skilled artist, and he liked to construct things out of bamboo and wood. Renee was amazed at this, for never had she seen such designs fit so perfectly within a room, and it made her feel as if she now lived in some tropical beach house. But, what amazed her the most was what had been at work in this house...

The Oklans employed magic to do all the housework, such as dusting, washing dishes, trimming bushes, etc, which gave Renee an opportunity to examine this art more carefully. Unlike in magic shows where you'd often find strings attached to floating objects, or you'd have to look at it at the right angle for it to work right, nothing of the sort existed. It was if everything had a mind of it's own, being able to think and act at it's own accord. The table could set itself at just the right time, the trash would somehow vanish when the can became too full, the garden would seem to plant it's own seeds, the trees would trim their own branches... Even the simple things were intriguing to Renee. She wasn't sure even now if this were all a dream or if it were indeed real... If it was a dream, she never wanted to wake up.

Dinner consisted of a large ham, potatoes, gravy, green beans, rolls, and punch. The Oklans wanted to make every as perfect as they could for their new arrival, but Renee didn't see it as perfect at all. Perfect could not describe half of how she felt.

Finally when dinner ended, Christopher beckoned everyone into the family room, as he said that there was something he wished to give to Renee, as a welcome home present.

"What could you possibly give that you haven't given already," she asked, still amazed at how well everything was being handled.

"Well," said Christopher, "I couldn't help but notice that, even in the car on the way over, you look a major interest in the sport of Quidditch. I know this because I was the same exact way when I was your age, for I had been adopted myself."

"Yes," she said. "I was wondering what it would be like to play it. I mean, not many muggle sports require it's competitors to fly around on broomsticks, no."

"How about we give it a try?" he inquired. "I mean, how else to do so but on you're very own, StarStriker '11, eh? Go on, take it."

Christopher then handed to Renee a large pointed broomstick that was crooked at one end. Never before had she taken any interest in such an ordinary household device, however, this was more than an ordinary household device. As she gripped the handle, she could feel it's power surge through her body, as if she could feel the wind rush through her hair even before she had gotten of the ground.

"I've never..."

"We know," said Wendy. "This was actually my first broom, and a very fine one at that. The handling of it can be a little rough at times, I'll admit, but nonetheless it's a fine piece of art."

What a fine way, thought Renee, to end an already perfect day. What had begun as another day in the orphanage had turned into the largest surprise of her life. The Oklans spent the remainder of the night teaching Renee the basics of flying, and, though she could barely touch of the ground, she was content with this new lifestyle of hers, and never before had she had so much fun. Finally, returning inside with a few cuts and bruises, she fell into bed happier than a girl could ever be, happier than she had ever felt in her entire life. She was indeed living the dream.

When Renee awoke again the next morning, she half expected to find herself, once more, in her usual bed at the orphanage, for a life of magic did not seem like a real lifestyle at all. However, when she awoke, she could smell bacon, even from the third floor, simmering at ground level. Her windows had been jolted open, and a cool springtime breeze from outside flowed gently inside.

But wait, was it not mid-August? How odd, normally it is much much hotter than this in August... right?

No sooner had she gotten out of bed and dressed was there a knock on her door. Renee opened it to find herself face to face with Sarah and Callie.

"Good morning," she said to them.

"Hey, sleep well?" asked Sarah. "Come, we don't have much time, I presume the owls will be arriving today."

"The owls?" she asked, but then remembered what had happened the day previous in the courtroom. "So... They're our mailmen I presume?"

"Yes, and we'll all be getting one from Hogwarts today... All save Ryan, he finished out his seventh year in June. It'll be our notices as well as our list of supplies we'll need to bring."

"Oh, is that so?" asked Renee, rather curious to know what sort of items she'd be required to take. "I cannot wait until we arrive at school, in _your_ world, it must be loads better than that boring stuff that is taught in mine."

"The Muggle world, you mean?" asked Callie. "That is not your world anymore, so no need to speak like it is. And I think you will indeed like Hogwarts, but there's a lot we need to do first before we prepare to go."

"I'm afraid that I'll get lost with how big it is," said Sarah. "Oh, and I do hope that I make Gryffindor too, I hear that there's no house better."

"You've never gone either, Sarah?" Renee was rather shocked at this.

"Oh, it's my first year as well," she replied. "If I don't make Gryffindor, it would at least be nice to wind up in the same house together. That way we can get lost together."

Renee couldn't suppress a chuckle at this remark, even if she didn't yet fully understand what a Gryffindor was. Wow, she thought to herself, I have almost too much to learn.

"Alright, I do believe breakfast is ready," said Callie, motioning for her to follow downstairs. "Nothing extraordinary I could guess, and you'll have to eat fast before we go."

"Go? Where are we going?"

"Ah, not going to make it by in school without supplies. That's why we need our stupid owl to just get here already, don't want to be waiting on_ him_ again like we did last year..."

"Right," said Renee. "But where do people of our type get supplies for school? I mean, never in my... I mean, the Muggle world have I seen anyone who sells broomsticks or wands..."

"Not to worry about that," said Sarah, "Mom knows where we can get everything we need. No rush of course, school isn't for another two weeks, but for some reason shes keen on getting everything the day we get the letters. Mothers I guess..."

"I can see how it makes sense," said Renee. "Kind of like in the muggle world, a new product comes out and you cant help but be the first there before it disappears."

"Precisely," said Callie... "I guess..."

Renee followed her new sisters downstairs and back into the large dining area where she had enjoyed her first real meal with the family. Thinking about how juicy that ham was, how creamy the potatoes and gravy were, she couldn't wait to taste more of their home-cooking.

But instead of taking a seat at the table, Callie and Sarah walked into the kitchen were six plates were set out neatly on a breakfast bar. To Renee's surprise, Wendy was actually cooking the meals rather than having magic do it for her.

"Even in the magical world," she said, noticing her confusion, "life is better served by hand."

Halfway through the delicious meal, a large white snow owl flew into the kitchen holding five sealed letters. This owl appeared to be the same exact one that Renee had seen in the courtroom the day previous, and she wondered enough about it to ask.

"Good observation," said Christopher, walking into the room. "Yes, this is our owl, Mirra. We got lucky with this one, for she had a broken wing when we found her. But Wendy knew exactly how to save her, so before long, we had her flying again, sending messages to the skies alongside the thousands of others of her kind. Quite the miracle, really," he added this last bit in a sort of a whisper as he carefully untied the parcels dangling from the creature's foot. There, tied in one large bundle, was one scarlet letter addressed to each of the children in the room, and it's location didn't leave out any detail. Renee gasped as she observed her own to be addressed to the exact seat in which she was now. Almost reluctant to open it, she sat in silence for a moment or two and held her breath.

Half expecting this to be some sort of mistake, that, inside the letter she'd find a message from the headmaster stating that she was not indeed the witch that the Oklans had presumed her to be, she was surprised to find not one, but two sheets of parchment waiting there, one of which appeared to be a list.

Callie read hers aloud, though the words upon it were the same save the area where her own name would go, for this varied by person. "Dear Callie Oklan," she began. "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed are the blah, blah, blah, we went through the same exact process last year, can't they think of something more creative?"

Renee laughed, as she proceeded to read the last bit on her own. It was signed by, not the headmaster at which she originally had anticipated, but the head of a house known as Gryffindor. She could see the face of a golden lion staring at her from somewhere within the parchment, as well the eye of a Raven, the stare of a badger, and...

"I can't say I'm too fond of the look that this snake is giving me," she said, staring deeply at the final emblem on the letter. "What are they for?"

"Ah," said Wendy. "Well, at Hogwarts, there are four houses, and you are sorted based on your own willingness and courage. At the start of Term, they place what is called the 'sorting hat' upon your head, which determines where you will live out your Hogwarts career."

"You mean to say that a silly _hat_ will tell my my fate at this school? That's..."

"Oh, trust me, the LAST thing you want to do is insult the Sorting hat," sneered Callie. "That would get you in Slytherin, and NOBODY except for the dark wizards want to be Slytherins."

"Ouch," replied Renee, "So I suppose that snake is the symbol of Slytherin? It makes sense."

"Yes," said Callie. "Though, you ought to look more into the eye of the Lion, Gryffindor is where you want to go. I suppose that Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad either, though Ravenclaws don't exactly make the cut as far as-"

"CALLIE, THATS QUITE ENOUGH," roared Wendy, apparently offended by this remark.

Realizing the shock bestowed upon Renee's face, Sarah leaned over and whispered in her ear: "Mom was a Ravenclaw, Callie gets out of hand sometimes, she wanted desperately to be a Gryffindor but instead wound up taking her mothers house."

Nodding, Renee pointed out the last of the symbols, the badger. "What of it?"

"Ah, that's the Hufflepuff symbol," said Callie. "Hufflepuff is oriented for the ones that the Hat can sense would struggle a lot. This is based on statistic, not really anything to get offended by if one were to become a Hufflepuff, though it wouldn't be my first choice, given I had one at all."

"I'll probably be a Hufflepuff, then," sighed Renee. "I don't see this working out for me that well."

"Don't say that, now," said Sarah. "There is nothing wrong with being in Hufflepuff, and it doesn't block the possibility of becoming really great in the end. Mom told us once of a friend of hers who was in Hufflepuff, could not get a single spell to work until one day, late in his Third Term, things just started to... Happen! Of course, this might lead up to how we came to be, as this man is indeed our father... Hey, where is Dad, anyhow?"

"He had to go in early," sighed Wendy. "Apparently the new crewman he's hired can't determine a Galleon from a Sickle, so now the funding is all messed up."

"Wonderful," said Callie sarcastically. "I always thought it would be wise to hire a goblin for finances. Apparently, they're better off working at Gringotts where they belong."

"Ok, so we really ought to get a move on," said Wendy. "Term begins in just over two weeks, and I'd like to make sure that you're prepared."

Wendy then led the children outside so that they could pile up inside the SUV. Ian, the youngest of the Oklans who had been quiet up until now, decided that this would be a good time to throw a fit."

"But, mom, I really want to go," he cried. "How much longer until I can start?"

"Just two more years," she said. "It's ok, time will fly by."

"But I want to go _now!"_ he continued fussing as Sarah climbed in behind him. Renee was last to climb in, causing the already crowded SUV to seem more so with her presence.

"This won't work, will it?" asked Wendy. "Not to worry, I have it covered... _enhancio!"_

The SVU gave a slight rumble as the back of it suddenly expanded outward and one more free row of seats opened up from the flooring. She then motioned for Renee and Sarah to climb back there, as that way there would be more room for each of them to stretch out.

"Seriously," said Callie, "why not just do that _all_ the time, I'm tired of cramping in here."

Wendy didn't say anything, but instead proceeded to back out of the drive and make off down the cobble roads out of view of the mighty palace that was now Renee's new home. Unaware of where they were currently headed, Renee noticed she still clutched her list that contained all the materials she'd be needing. She then decided now would be a good time to read it:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

LIST OF MATERIALS TO BRING

Uniform

Three sets of plain work robes (black)

One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Course Books

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)

A History of Magic

Magical Theory

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection

Other Materials Needed

1 Wand

1 Cauldron (Pewter, Standard Size 2)

1 Glass Set of Crystal Phials

1 Telescope

1 Set Brass Scales

Renee had to read and re-read this list several times in order to take it in: What would she need brass scales for? And a telescope? Would she be required to watch the movements of the planets? And what sort of Magic Theory could the book be referring to? Questions raced into and out of her mind as she thought, over and over, that this must actually be happening, this must really be real. She was, indeed, a witch.

"Ok, brace yourselves," said Wendy, "you especially, Renee, I know you've never flown before."

"Flown? As in on an airplane?"

Wendy gave of a laugh but said nothing. Then, she began accelerating the vehicle at speeds beyond the posted limit, causing Renee's stomach to give a violent lurch. Then, as if someone had suddenly attached strings to the car and lifted it off it's fours, it started to rise up into the air, accelerating faster and faster with it's climb, not losing balance for even a second. Soon the car found itself high up in the clouds, with the ground not even visible below where they were flying. Wendy then pressed a small button that, had Renee not seen her, would have never known it was there. This, in her eye, had no effect.

"You're looking pale there," said Sarah. "You alright?'

"Fine," she replied. "Just wasn't expecting to have to fly three thousand feet into the sky this morning."

"Oh," she said. "Yeah, this is everyday life to us, so it's hard to explain everything in a few short days."

"Could have mentioned this though," she said, appearing to have gone a little green in the face. "I have a nasty fear of heights."

No sooner had she said that did the car begin it's descent. Lower and lower they flew until the silhouette of a city sat beneath them, it's lights smiling up at them as if to welcome their presence. All the buildings, the roads, the ground was covered in thick layers of snow, and just the sight of it made Renee shiver.

"Mom, I thought we were going to Diagon," said Callie. "This is Ronshultz!"

"I'm aware of that," she said. "Look, there is something I need to tell you about."

For a moment all went silent as she flew the car slightly above the trees until she landed in softly into the icy roads.

"I got a horrible message this morning from your father: There was another killing."

Renee gasped... Killing, she asked herself, though not aloud.

"For weeks now, there has been a serial killer on the loose who, according to records, escaped from Azkaban not once, but twice. The name has yet to be revealed, reports have suggested that he was on the move toward London where, for Renee's knowledge, is where Diagon Alley is located. Diagon Alley is famous for it's shops and supply, so he knows that it is very likely that, at this time of year, children will be out and about roaming the streets and preparing themselves for the new term at Hogwarts."

"He's after... Children?" asked Renee, genuinely surprised that anyone would have such a heart.

"Oh yes," said Wendy, "and I wouldn't say this to scare you if it weren't real. The Ministry has decided to open up a quarter of their base for public use, though getting in isn't an easy feat."

Renee looked around the city, which appeared to be inhabited by muggles, as did many others in the area. She didn't seem to see any danger here, she supposed that it was the way it should be, so she continued to look around at the ice in bewilderment.

"Where are we," she asked. "It's August, is it not?"

"Greenland," said Wendy. "It's the perfect place to hide, for very few are willing to venture here."

"What? You mean that we just flew all the way from America to Greenland in that short of time?"

Wendy laughed. "Yes, I see there is still much you must get adjusted to, Renee. Anyway..." her face became pale and stern once more. "I've decided to do our school shopping on the base for safety. You will still be able to find what you need here, but to get in requires cooperation from everyone. They will ask questions, which you'll be expected to answer as honestly as you can, or they might ask to borrow your wand."

"But I don't-"

"I know," she replied. "They'll understand, but they cannot be too sure, don't want to make their city too vulnerable for attack. Oh, and the public doesn't know about this place quite yet, ministry has charmed the candidates that would most likely blab about it's whereabouts."

"Mom," said Callie suddenly. "I thought that civilian wizards were not permitted to enter the base of Ronshultz."

"Times change," she said. "I do warn you everyone, they can be a little nasty in there, but safety is above all."

She drove the car to what appeared to be a parking garage. The gatekeeper let her in and then, instead of driving up, she drove downward into a tunnel that led under the city. Twice, Renee could spot what appeared to be a subway rail, though no train seemed to have rode over it in a decade. At last, Wendy stopped the car at what appeared to be nothing at all but a burnt out light in the tunnel. No one else was around.

"Ok," she said. "Everyone stay in here, I'll get us through the barrier."

"Barrier, what barrier," asked Renee.

"Can't expect to hide our base in sight of the muggles, can we," inquired Wendy. "Don't worry, this will take but a minute."

Opening the car door, Renee felt the cold wintry air gush in, freezing her to the spine. She hadn't brought a coat, for rarely in august would you need one at all, but of course she hadn't expected to travel to the depths of Greenland either.

Renee tried to get a glance of what her new mother was doing, though she couldn't see much out of the now clouded windows. She instead looked in Sarah's direction.

"Whats going on," she asked her. "Do you know what shes doing?"

"Probably some ritual to open the barrier, not sure," she replied. "This sort of thing is normally what they do when they need to get into some hiding place like this.

"A ritual? As such a password, you mean?"

"I guess," she said. "Again, I'm not the one to ask."

Whatever Wendy had done must have worked, for a moment after she had finished with her ritual, the door slid open with a screech, the door being a large chunk of tunnel wall that, to the naked eye, was not visible at all. A road stretched into darkness, as if the passage had existed for years, but not a light stood in the way to mark the path. This kind of frightened Renee, for she knew that they would have to rely on the headlights alone.

"Ok, sorry for the delay," said Wendy. "It took a few attempts, but the first defense has been opened. I think we still have about six more before we finally reach the interior of the quarter."

"Six?" questioned Callie, looking bewildered. "You're not lying then, are you mom?"

She said nothing, but instead attempted to start the car. The cold had already taken it's toll, for it took longer than normal to heat up the engine back to it's previous state. But once it was able to move, Wendy drove into the darkness of the tunnel and and the door closed behind them once more.

At that moment, the headlights of the car extinguished, leaving the family if utter darkness. Panic overtook them.

"_Lumos,"_ muttered Callie, and suddenly the tip of the wand, which she'd just retrieved from her jacket pocket ignited. "Is this supposed to happen, mom?"

"No, actually," she said. "Though it matters not, as soon as we step out of the car, it'll proceed to park itself. Magic is at work, they really don't fool around here."

"But why the darkness," asked Renee. "Would it not be more reasonable to provide us with light enough to see?"

"It is, dear, but it's there to possibly to fool any unwanted visitors into thinking that no one is there. This is a special kind of darkness, it will engulf any sort of light that tries to penetrate it."

Callie's wand seemed to have it then, as it was extinguished with a white wisp. Then darkness took over again.

"_Lumos," _she repeated, though no result. _"Lumos Maximos!"_

"Don't worry about it," said Wendy. "Follow me."

"What? How can we follow you? We can't even see you?"

"I think that the dark is more dangerous than useful," said Ryan. "It's great to scare off unwanted guests, though how do you know that there isn't anyone already lurking here?"

"More defenses," she said. "Men are guarding the area equipped with a set of goggles that allows them to read the dark just like it were day. They would ward off any suspicious guest if they found them a threat, though we're set for the time being."

"But how do we know where we are going?"

"Look here, at the bottom, there is a thin line of blue light leading over to where the gates are. At first glance, no one would be able to tell that it was there at all, but you have to know in order to follow. It works to many advantages."

"Ah," said Callie, grasping the sense of it. "So, unless the place is carefully studied, it would take time to determine what they were supposed to do before getting in. I can see that hesitation can serve it's purpose to the guards."

"Precisely," said Wendy, though Renee still didn't quite understand it. She just followed and assumed she should accept what they were saying.

Once the line ended, she stopped and heard another barrier magically lift, allowing a hint of light to bedazzle their eyes. Stepping toward the light, the barrier shut just as soon as they entered, and they found themselves in a cold, damp cavern. Here, unlike the garage previous, fire lined the walls but this did nothing to heat the corridor. Walking in silence, they arrived at last at a gate that resembled a toll booth. Behind the counter sat a goblin who paid no attention to them at first.

"I need to examine all of your wands," he demanded. Everyone obliged except for Sarah, Renee, and Ian, who didn't have one at all. He replied with his eyes, and when they walked up to cross, he halted Sarah in her tracks.

"Tell me, who was the discover of the uses of dragon's blood?"

"Why... Dumbledore, of course, everyone knows that!"

"Pass," he said. "And you... In the trigonometry of the runic structure-"

"Stop," commanded Wendy. "They are with me, would showing him your reasoning not suffice, Renee?"

"Um... What?"

"Show him your letter," she said calmly.

Renee obliged, in which case, the goblin took it wordlessly and examined it.

"So... Are you Renee Marie Oklan?" he asked.

"Um... It's Renee Michelle Oklan," she replied, though after the goblin gave her such a fierce stare that she wished that she'd not corrected him at all.

"Pass," he said at last. "As for you..."

"That would be my son," said Wendy. "And please, don't frighten the boy. Just let him through."

"Very well," replied the goblin, "what harm is a child to do anyway? Pass."

A sigh of relief spread over Wendy's face as she hurried them all up a set of stairs and to an area that appeared to be outside. Freezing winds blew in and it was snowing lightly on the scene. For a moment, Renee had began to believe that it was Christmas again.

"Charming he is," said Callie. "Sorry you had to go through that."

"What was with that, anyhow?" asked Renee. "He could clearly read my name upon the paper, no doubt, yet he proceeds to call me by-"

"It's another check," she replied, "though not a very good one, I admit. There have been cases in the past where wizards have snuck into banks and such under a false name, but forgotten what there false name was. They do that sometimes, if you confirm it then, to them, you are more than likely a liar, an imposter."

Shivers ran down Renee's spine, though they had nothing to do with the cold. She was almost afraid to know what the other defenses might be.

Walking close to the others, she was relieved to see that they were nothing more than a couple more wand checks, a bit of questioning, and a gate that would open only to the touch of a goblin. Finally, once they had made it through all the security checks, the family found themselves outside upon a crowded street lined with shops.

"Wow," said Renee baffled. "Such an amazing place this is!"

"Oh, this isn't half of what Diagon is," sneered Sarah. "But, if we can find what we're looking for then we're good to go."

As the family walked the streets, Renee couldn't help but notice that there were some people who couldn't keep their eyes off of her. At first, she didn't think much of it: She smiled back or gave a nod, though her fellow witches and wizards did not acknowledge her back in any such gesture. One man actually gave her a bump with his shoulder at one point, causing her to stumble a little bit, and she looked back expecting the apology though it never came.

"I don't think they approve of me being here," said Renee to Sarah a little later.

"What? No one knows who you are, how could they hold anything against you?"

"I... I dunno," she replied, "though I can't help but feel that I'm an outcast, that I really have no place in your world. Maybe I should just go back to the orphanage..."

"Nonsense, you just haven't gotten used to our world yet," she replied with a hint of anxiety. "Trust me, Renee, they would not hold anything against you especially if they know nothing about who you are."

Renee wasn't convinced, for she felt just the same as she continued to walk along, almost lonely. Finally they arrived at a store called _The Trio's Treasure_, and they all walked inside to find a vast array of books, lining every shelf, the walls, the floor, even the pay counter was covered in piles and piles of books. The sight of this gave Renee a little bit of comfort, for she had always liked books, even if she never really read much. Come to think of it, Renee didn't remember how she could read at all, but there were many things that still troubled her.

"Welcome," said the old shopkeeper who, until she spoke, Renee didn't notice sitting there behind the rotted counter. "I suppose you're here for school books, yes?"

"Precisely," said Wendy. "Here's the list, we need to make this quick."

"Why the rush, ma'am," asked the keeper, though he knew that this question was rather personal. "Pardon me," he said quickly, realizing his mistake.

"That's ok," said Wendy in reply. "It is clear that we're under a watchful eye, though I cannot help but sense a sort of uneasiness. Looking after six children, it's hard not to be slightly paranoid."

"Oh right, right," said the shopkeeper in understanding. "Not to worry, I have eight children of my own, so I if anyone knows how you must feel."

Without another word (perhaps by the stare that Wendy had given him after this) he set off to retrieve all the books that she had on the list. The list, though not the same ones that the children held containing their material, actually held select books that would be needed if they were not present already. As he set off to retrieve them, Renee took the time to look around a little herself.

Apart from school books, the store held many other types of books, fables, stories... She wondered exactly what sort of material the wizarding world would put their noses into, and she couldn't help but pick a few up and read a passage every now and then.

One of the books that caught her eye was titled "The Sorcerer's Destiny", and she had found this copy under the "Fiction" section. This arouse her curiosity, for what could be fiction now that everything else she thought was fiction was real?

Opening the book, the first page held what looked like a king, dressed in fine garments and holding a long, rather pointy brown wand. The wand was larger that than Renee had seen yet, and she couldn't help but chuckle at the image. The king appeared to be smiling back, which caught her attention quick, for she'd not known pictures to move as so.

"Is this normal?" she asked to her new mother.

"As normal as it gets," she replied. "Quite a good story by the way, takes place around Christmas time. I used to have a copy when I was a kid, though it has since vanished into oblivion, haven't been able to find it."

"Could I... possibly get this one?" she asked hopefully, for after reading the back, the storyline looked as if it would be really entertaining. "You know, for something to read... on the train."

"Well, I suppose," she said with a smile. "Don't have time to say otherwise, so let's go ahead and add it to the stack."

Renee laughed. This book seemed as if it would fit her taste well, a book about the Holiday season, magic, desire... She wanted already to just open it then and there, though she knew that time would not permit, for Wendy seemed to be in a major rush.

After paying with money that Renee hadn't seen before, they rushed out again into the cold winds and wandering eyes until they reached a shop called _Everson's Fine Wands. _This shop had a shabby look about it, lined with what appeared to be dragon skulls... Though of course, Renee hadn't seen a dragon, she wasn't sure if they existed even in this world. There is a chance, she thought to herself. Just as much as there is a chance that this is all real.

They stepped inside, but didn't receive the same welcome that they had in the bookshop. The man behind the counter gave about the same glare that the outside wanderers did to Renee, and still she had no idea what for. Agitated and uncomfortable at this, she decided that now would be a good of time as any to speak to him.

"Excuse me," she said. "But if you would please direct your gaze elsewhere, I don't like the feeling of being watched by someone I don't know."

The man let out a grunt, but did as she had said. For a moment, he seemed to be rather fearful of Renee... What was it that she did to deserve this punishment, she hadn't ever hurt anyone as far as she knew. Could it have something to do with my parents, she asked herself.

"They look at me the same way, some of them," said Sarah. "As if they disapprove of our family in general. It's quite alright though, I've grown used to it."

"How long has this been going on?" she asked.

"As long as I can remember, though it gets better with time. You won't have any trouble at school I'm sure, no one knows us."

"I sure hope you're right," said Renee, making clear the frustration still in her voice.

"First years?" asked the man to Renee and Sarah. "I guess you're here for wands?"

"Yes, sir," said Renee, hoping the man wouldn't stare again to look at her again.

He said nothing more, but instead gave the two of them a quick glance and wheeled around to the wall behind him. The wall, as Renee soon realized, wasn't a wall at all, but a barrier of boxes, stacked to the ceiling, all about the same dimension, and all containing a perfectly crafted wand. He thought for a minute first before choosing one from a black box, which he pulled carefully out of the 'wall' and placed neatly on his counter.

"Try this, miss," he said, though he didn't appear to have any emotion in his voice toward her. Sarah, as to whom he was referring, opened the lid and placed her hand upon the wand's grip.

"My first wand," she whispered, and Renee could tell by her face that she was excited.

As she gripped it tightly, red sparks shot out of the end of it and landed in the old man's face. He didn't seem to notice this, or he didn't care, one of the two.

"Forty galleons, no less," he spat. "Eleven and a half inch, unicorn tail."

Renee didn't know what he meant by this, but instead watched as he pulled out another box and handed it to her. Opening her own lid, Renee found that this one was significantly shorter than her sister's had been. She did the same as Sarah had done previously, though no red sparks emitted from it's tip this time. The old man grunted once more.

"Does it... work?" she asked, still doubting if she was a witch or not. "I don't think it would if I'm not really a-"

"You'd not be here if you weren't a witch," he said, sounding very uptight and annoyed. Renee, even though she knew that the word "witch" literally meant a witch, she couldn't help but feel a little offended by this remark, perhaps by the tone of his voice. Sarah, who stood beside Renee looked just as shocked as she did.

"Try this," he demanded, and Renee obliged.

Taking hold of this second wand, another one that fell short of Sarah's, again nothing happened. The man cursed under his breath a word that Renee couldn't hear.

Again and again, he went through the stacks of wands with no result. It took nearly half an hour before a result came, which merely startled Renee, for she at this point had full doubts that she wasn't a witch.

"It takes time sometimes," he snarled, as Renee took a good look at what was to be her new wand. It was longer than Sarah's, the tip looking a little bit dull, though she didn't care. Carved out of the woods stood, what looked like, the body of a snake, wrapped around the whole of the wand, and it gave it a rather bulky appearance, though not in great enough proportion to disfigure it's identity.

"Ha," he said. "Thirteen inches, the core of this one is... snakeskin. Looks like you'll be a slytherin girl then, for very few outside of slytherin possess a snakeskin wand..."

Chills ran down her spine as the man had said this, for, with even not knowing much about the houses yet, she could still tell that it had a 'slytherin-ish' look about it. She didn't much like the sound of slytherin, nor did she want to find herself in that house, and she hoped deep inside that the man was wrong, though the snake coiled around it clearly said otherwise.

Renee didn't speak for a long time after this event. They proceeded to get the rest of the materials, though she lagged behind slightly, not interested to get in on what they were saying. She was thinking of opting out, of going elsewhere, for she had a nasty phobia of snakes, and she knew that Slytherin would be about not just that, but possibly worse.

"I'm scared," she admitted finally to Sarah later on as they were headed back to the garage to leave. "I don't know why, but I just... am..."

"It's about the snakeskin, right?" asked Sarah, nearly reading Renee's mind. She replied with a nod.

"Look, even if you do wind up in Slytherin, that's nothing to be ashamed of." she assured her. "I've actually heard of many successful Slytherins, though I can't tell you that they were really all that friendly... You could be different though, I don't see that you'd be all that nasty a person."

Renee didn't laugh at this, but instead kept in silence as they made their way back to the SUV that was parked deep within the garage. Darkness engulfed them all as they reentered through the barrier leading inward, and Renee was lost for a moment before realizing that they had to use the lights on the floor.

Once in the SUV, Renee pulled out her wand again to examine it once more. By the car light, she could clearly see the sinister carvings of the snake, it's many scales, and at the tip it's mouth, opened wide with it's small tongue sticking out as if it were about to devour an animal whole. Suddenly though, while holding the wand, all else eluded her as she realized that this thing was indeed capable of magic, something she already badly wished to try out.

"Could you teach me a spell?" she asked to Callie, who was busy practicing a simple trick with her own wand. "I would really like to know..."

"Well," she said. "I don't think that would be a very clever idea. I'm sorry, but I'd wait until class, it's ok, you will learn everything in time. Ha," she laughed to herself. "I still have a long way myself."

The car ride continued in near silence, as most of the family was rather tired, some cold, though some who just didn't want to speak at all. Only thirteen days left until the Hogwarts express would leave, and Renee would be able to taste her first spell at last, see her new life, be able to learn with people of her sort.

Thirteen days... And how fast they went, too...

NOTE TO READER:

I do not take credit for the Harry Potter references listed above, and I quote the list given from Book One, as it is not dissimilar to the one that Harry uses in Diagon Alley before his first year at Hogwarts. This is the same for Quidditch in the previous chapters, though I feel that there is something I don't quite have accurate. If you can point this out for me, I would very much appriciate it. Thank you, and enjoy the story.


	5. Chapter 5: Onward, To Hogwarts

THE FORGOTTEN ONE

By: Xanarific13

V.

Onward, To Hogwarts

A morning came when the home of the Oklans was busier than it had been in a long time. This was the morning of the departure of the Hogwarts Express, a train that would depart at the King's Cross railway station in just three hours time. Renee, Sarah, and Callie, who were already packed, had proceeded to load their trunks into the back of the SUV, but Amanda made the decision to wait until the last moment to pack her belongings. This caused an unnecessary stir within the home, adding a delay to their leave time, meaning that Wendy would have to drive that much quicker if they were to arrive in time. This sort of thing agitated Callie the most.

"She seems to do this every year," she said as she climbed into the SUV after Renee. "A couple years ago, I could care less, I wasn't the one getting aboard the train, though as soon as I began going, that changed. I don't want to miss it because of her."

"Question," thought Renee aloud. "My ticket... It says Platform Nine and Three Quarters. This makes no sense, there is no Platform Nine and Three Quarters, is there?"

"Right," she said. "There isn't, if you insist on thinking like a muggle. Renee, you have to realize that nothing will make sense to you until you begin to think like a witch."

"Um, sorry," she said. "I'm still getting used to the fact that everything in your... I mean everything in our world is so much different."

"Yes, and no offense, but I can see that this will take some time. I hold nothing against it though, living with them for as long as you had, this can become shocking."

"It can," she agreed, and said nothing more on the matter. Instead, she dug into her trunk and retrieved her copy of _The Sorcerer's Desire _and began to read. Opening to the first page, she saw once more the smiling face of the king, but then flipped it again to reveal the first chapter. It had no title, but she saw past this and soon became immersed in the words. It told of a prince who lived among muggles in a middle-aged castle located in Rome. As she read on, she caught a hold of the feeling that what she was reading was real, like she could hear every word, every breath, every battle, and smell every smell. She thought at first that she was imaginary, but then, she became too mixed up in the words to care.

No sooner had she reached page ten was she awoken from her trance by Sarah, who had to nearly slap her to get her attention again.

"Save some for the train," she said. "Come on, we're here."

Though Renee didn't want to put the book down. She did so though, knowing that she would be able to pick it up again as soon as she boarded the train, but at the same time, she wanted greatly to know the fate of the prince, who, apparently was at his last battle.

"This book really seems to have meaning to it," she said. "It feels like the author enchanted it to make everything seem more lifelike than it is."

"Oh, she probably did," said Sarah. "It's nice when they do that, it gives more character to the plot, makes it stand out more in your head. I wish they would do the same for History of Magic, I know already that that class will do nothing more than lure me to sleep."

Renee laughed at this, though she had the feeling it would do the same to her.

The Oklans walked through the maze of people at the station until they reached what was the train platform. Crossing over a bridge, they decided to sit down a minute at a nearby cafe located within the station. Wendy gave of a sigh.

"Well," she said. "I guess this is it."

"Yeah," replied Sarah. "The time has come."

"You know, I have tried my hardest within the past weeks, within the duration of your lives that I've known you to make everything as perfect as I could," she said, "and I couldn't be more proud a mother to see you off at last, on your ways to your first day at Hogwarts. I do know that you will all do well, even you Renee, and I do wish to send you my best always..."

She stopped there, for Renee could easily tell that she was crying. Sarah comforted her by wrapping her arm around her as she handed her a tissue.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I cannot help myself, I've been long awaiting this day that you would go off to Hogwarts. I know that you will do great, no matter which house you make and... Oh! Please, write to me at least once a week, would you? Come here, Renee."

She obliged, and no sooner than so was she pulled tight into a massive bear hug, full of more sobbing. Renee felt happy, knowing that she finally had a home, a place, a family, and she too began to cry at the thought of leaving her new mother behind.

"We have Christmas," said Sarah. "Time will fly by much faster than you think."

"Yeah," said Renee, though Christmas seemed to be eons away at this point. "Mrs. Ok... Mom," she said. "Thank you, thank you for everything..."

This was greeted with a tighter squeeze that knocked the wind out of Renee completely at first. Once she finally relinquished, she had stopped sobbing though wet beads still shone in her eyes.

She gave her other children the same type of hug before finally saying "it's ten till, I guess I cannot keep you forever," and then led everyone to the pillars that were marked as Platform Nine and Platform Ten.

"I still don't fully understand," said Renee. "There is no Nine in Three Quarters here."

"Just keep your eye on me," said Callie. "You'll see, and remember what I told you about thinking like a witch."

Callie backed away a minute before, looking around first to be sure no one was watching, running at her topmost speed until she made contact with the barrier marked Ten. Renee had to blink to ensure that what she just saw happened, that her sister had really just disappeared into the barrier. How odd, she thought.

Amanda was next to go, followed by Sarah, and at last Renee herself. Bolting at a run and pushing a cart full of her belongings, she was afraid that this somehow wouldn't work for her, that she would wind up crashing into the barrier instead. She waited for an impact, though it never came, she flew through and found herself still running, as if the barrier had not been there at all. At first, she thought that she had just merely walked in one end and out the other, that now she would be standing face to face with platform eleven, but instead she found herself in the eye of a massive black train, and etched onto the side of it was...

"The Hogwarts Express," she said, giving off a sigh of excitement. "I cant believe it, this is actually real..."

"Well of course it is," barked Callie, "and it leaves in ten minutes, so I'd suggest we don't miss it. Come on, we put our belongings here. We're allowed just on carry on... I think."

Renee decided that her own pack might be too large to carry on board, so instead she quickly dug for her book and ran to catch up with Callie and Sarah.

Renee followed close behind as her new sisters climbed aboard and inched down the crowded aisle until they found a compartment that was empty. They had just arrived in time, for if a moment more were to pass, it would have been flooded by the masses of students piling aboard. Renee wondered if this train was large enough to seat everyone, but then thinking back to the trick with the SUV, she knew that they'd think of something if it wasn't.

For a minute or two, the three of them sat alone until finally, there was just a single straggler left who hadn't found a place yet. He was a first year as well, and Renee could clearly tell that he had no idea what he was in for. He looked worried, terrified in fact, and he was about to retreat back off board when Renee called out to him.

"Over here," she said. "There are seats open."

Apparently he didn't hear, or so pretended not to hear, for he had stepped off the train anyway, much to the surprise of Renee.

"Maybe he's not a student at all," said Callie. "It is likely that he is merely a young boy seeing off one of his siblings before we leave. To me, he looked a year or so young to start school."

"Likely," replied Renee. "But why would he look so terrified then? You did see his face, did you not?"

"Yes, I won't deny it, he did look rather frightened," said Callie. "Again, I see no need to think much of it, I'm sure that he is alright."

A loud whistle bellowed from the engine compartment of the train, and at a steady chug, the train began rolling forward. This slow chug then turned into a pace, at which the speed kept increasing at a more rapid pace than any normal train would have. Within no time at all, they were zooming along the tracks at a constant fifty miles an hour, with about six hundred miles until they would arrive at the station in Hogsmeade, a town on the outskirts of Hogwarts.

Renee wondered about the school once more, as she had her mind set on it for the past weeks now. Would it be like her previous one in Matador Valley? Or could it be so that the new one would be something else, something extraordinary?

"Um Callie," she thought aloud. "What do you think about Hogwarts? Whats it like, I mean?"

"Big," she replied, without taking her eyes off the magazine she was reading.

"Exactly how big?" asked Renee. "I've been anxious to know about it."

"Well, it's a castle, so you imagine for yourself."

A castle now, she told herself in her head. Now of all wild imaginative things that she had pictured in her head about Hogwarts, a castle didn't once cross her mind. Though of course she didn't know, she had pictured a place not dissimilar to an ordinary muggle school in her world. And if this new one was anything like a castle at all, than it would have to be much different than any muggle school.

Ideas began flowing through her head once more. She thought suddenly of the middle ages, motes and drawbridges, dragons and cannons, could this school be teaching some magical way of war? The thought of it made her uneasy, for she didn't much like the sound of war at all, for she was anything but willing to fight.

But then again, if it had, she would at least have been told something about it. Remembering the day of her adoption when she'd learned of this world initially, she was told about charms and potions, and on her list the textbooks required were things like _A History of Magic_ or _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration. _Hang on though, what was it about _the Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection? _This sounded a little more like it could fit into the scenario.

Time inched on, as excitement and fear pulsed inside her with every mile. She had completely forgotten about _The Sorcerer's Desire_ for a while, for her mind was lost in other things, and it wasn't until they had actually slowed down that she remembered it had been lying on her lap the entire time. Finally there came a time when an announcement was brought up upon the train, though Renee couldn't see where or who this was coming from. They had informed everyone that their arrival would be in just fifteen minutes time, and that they should be ready in their black uniform robes when the train pulled into Hogsmeade.

That's when Renee realized that she had not thought to bring her robes with her aboard the train. They were still packed inside her trunk, and that was located with the hundreds of others in the storage compartment at the rear.

"Um," she said, though Sarah and Callie appeared to not be paying attention. "My robes, I think I left them in my bag by accident."

"Oh, that's not a problem," said Sarah. "Look behind your seat."

"Behind my seat? But my trunk isn't-"

Callie rolled her eyes at this, but said nothing. Renee did so to find a set of her own robes folded neatly behind the seat.

"They do that just in case," said Sarah. "Hardly anyone thinks to bring them aboard."

"Wow," she said. "Ok, so I guess I'll be ready after all."

When the train reached it's destination at last, Renee could see the shadow of a large figure standing just outside. Not sure of what this might be, she could see the glare of one light held high in his massive bear like hands. Fear welled inside her once more.

"Whats... that?" she asked.

"Oh, Professor Hagrid," said Callie. "He teaches..." she let out an audible sigh. "Care of Magical Creatures. Unfortunately, I have to take that class this year, as do all the other second years, though I'm not really looking forward to doing so."

"Well that doesn't sound too bad," said Renee. "I think it would be an interesting class."

"You can take it then," she remarked. "Go on, Professor Hagrid wouldn't be able to tell that you and I had gotten mixed up..."

"Then you just would have to take it next year, when I'm a second year."

"Tis true," she replied. "Oh well, lets go, I'm getting hungry, I've been craving that beginning of the year feast all day now."

She was first to climb out, followed by Renee and Sarah. They were just about to climb into what looked like carriages, where all the other people seemed to be headed, when they heard a booming voice call out from behind them. This came from Professor Hagrid, who was swinging the lantern and calling "first years o'er here," beckoning all to follow.

"I guess we go this way then," said Sarah. "Actually, now that I think of it, I do remember Callie saying something about first years taking boats to the castle rather than carriages."

"Boats? I hope they don't expect us to actually _row_ the boats, I've never done it before..."

"No, no, they should take us on their own," replied Sarah.

The two of them walked over to where Professor Hagrid stood, accompanied by a large number of other first years alongside them. Excitement, fear, and anxiety alike mounted in the air, and this made Renee fell rather queasy. It had come time, she thought to herself. What happens now is in the fate of the wizards.

After another ten minutes or so of standing there with the fellow first years, few daring to speak in fear of the giant that loomed before them named Hagrid, he led them off down a winding trail until they reached the bank of a lake. Though it was dark out, Renee could see lights in the distance signaling that there was something out there, perhaps on an island, though she could not tell. Hagrid's dark figure obstructed these lights from view as he stood in front of everyone, holding out his hand motioning for everyone to stop here.

"We are ter travel by boat," he said. "No more than four per boat please," he added after.

"But professor," said one of them, mustering up the courage to stand before this man. "I don't see any boats out there. How are we supposed to cross?"

"Not ter worry," he said with a hint of a smile, and then out of the water arose fifty or so dinghies that floated, though not tied to anything, perfectly in line facing the lighted figure in the background. Motioning for everyone to hop aboard, Renee and Sarah took one together followed by two other first year boys, as it then took off at it's own accord in the direction of the school. Callie had found one of her friends from last year, and already she was off on one with her as they disappeared out of view.

"That's a pretty magnificent figure, isn't it?" asked Sarah, though Renee wasn't paying attention at first. She was staring at the reflection of the moon on the face of the lake, for a sudden worry had just overcome her again.

"I don't want to be a Slytherin," she complained, pulling out her wand from a pocket in her robes and examining it once more. "Why can I not be in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw with you?"

"Hey, don't look so dreary," said Sarah. "Look, that wand didn't guarantee that you'd be a Slytherin, though it does make your chances that much worse. You never know, you might wind up in Ravenclaw, that's I'm sure where I'm going."

"Whats wrong with Slytherin?" one of the boys who had joined them suddenly perked up. "Could it be that you are insulting the tradition of my family?"

"Um, no," replied Renee. "By no means, I would never-"

"You," he said. "I was wondering if I'd see you here, filthy half-breed..."

"What right do you have to insult them, Sharn, when you don't even know who they are?" piped up another voice suddenly, the boy who was sitting directly in front of Sarah (Renee was in the back as the boys had the front seats).

"Oh, forgive me, Potter, but you know very well that half-bloods are just as filthy as mud-"

"That is QUITE enough!"

This time it was Sarah who spoke, for she seemed deeply offended by what the boy was about to say. Renee glared at her, shocked as if stricken by a stunning spell. The boy in the front said nothing, and just resorted to looking once more at the castle, which was growing nearer and nearer within the silence. The other boy, the Potter boy, seemed the most agitated of the four of them, for Renee could maybe hear him mumbling to himself, though she could not make out anything he was saying.

Potter... Renee was certain that name sounded familiar, though why, she was lost.

Finally, after what seemed like hours just keeping at a slow and steady glide across the silent lake, they made landfall inside what appeared to be a dark cavern. Docks stretched from one side to the next, lined with gleaming lanterns that seemed just adequate to light the cave in a dim glow.

Professor Hagrid stood from his own boat (which he, given his size, had all to himself), stepped out onto the dock and motioned for everyone else to follow. Stopping occasionally to assist some of the first years as they disembarked, he them told everyone to follow him over to a large set of stairs that led up to where the front gates of this mysterious castle stood. Beyond the gates, Renee could see a dark path leading over to a well lit grand doorway, though what lied inside was still a mystery.

"Forgive _him_," said the Potter boy as he had joined suddenly behind Renee and Sarah. "Some first years are rather snobby and rude, but then again, those are the ones who will more than likely find themselves in Slytherin. I'm bound for Gryffindor, I just know it. Oh, and my name is Albus, by the way, Albus Severus Potter."

Sarah let out a gasp... "Did you say... Potter?"

"Oh boy, here we go," he moaned, apparently had heard this so many times before. "Yes, that is me, son of Harry Potter himself. He told me all about this place, about how magnificent it is and his many stories that he's had in his years."

"Excuse me," said Renee. "But I feel as if I've heard your name before..."

"Likely," he said. "The Prophet is always over, questioning about a bit of this or a bit of that, I've been looking forward to coming here in hopes that I would avoid that... Unless you're here to do the same..."

"Um, no," she replied, rather taken aback. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Albus laughed from the sudden fear on Renee's face, which made her angry in a way though she didn't know the exact reason why. She was just about to walk away when Albus halted her once more.

"I'm sorry," he said, "but I couldn't help but notice something... On the boat, you were saying about how much you_ really_ didn't want to be in Slytherin, is this correct?"

"Yes," she replied, not sure of where this was going.

"Let me let you in on something," he said, his voice turning to that of a whisper. "Just before the train took off earlier, my dad had told me that... That it's possible that you can choose which house you wind up in."

"Choose?" she questioned. "But I thought that the sorting hat placed you based on personal ability, or courage and strength..."

"Well, that's what I'd believed too," he said. "But this had apparently got my father into Gryffindor apart from Slytherin. I dunno, it might be him pulling my leg, but it's worth a try."

Renee nodded and gave a thanks, though she hadn't really taken in the full meaning of what Albus had just said. He then gave her a clap on the back before proceeding through the gate after the rest of the class who, Renee hadn't realized, were now well on their way through the front doors.

They entered into a massive foyer, lined with candles, pictures, grand staircases, and then an old woman standing atop the stairs holding what looked like a quill gripped tightly in her hand. She gave a welcoming smile as they all piled in, though behind this Renee could distinctly tell that on a normal basis, her personality was anything but sincere.

"Welcome," she said, "to Hogwarts. Within the course of the next five minutes, you will all enter into the Great Hall, where you will then be able to get your first glance of what, and who in some cases, you are in for. Now, before you can join your fellow classmates, you will need to be sorted into your houses. There are four in all: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. At the end of the year, one of these will be presented with what is known as the House Cup, which is awarded to the House with the most points. While you can earn points for your house by your achievements and skills, any foolishness will lose you points. Remember, you have not only your friends, but the remainder of your house counting on you to win them that cup, so don't let them down."

"Now, let us enter. Follow me please."

The first years obliged, and Professor McGonagall proceeded in leading them into the Great Hall, which was lined with four magnificent tables spanning the length of the hall, one symbolizing each house. Banners hung about the room above each table, holding the vivid images of the creatures that represented it's corresponding house, and Renee felt a deep pain as she saw the Slytherin Snake's eyes peering directly at her.

Cutting through the center isle between the four tables, the first years hurried on until they all were gathered around the front where a three legged stood sat, and atop that an extremely battered looking black hat.

"Is this it?" Renee heard people question. "Is this the sorting hat?"

"I think it is..." some replied.

"Not much to it," others complained.

The room was alive with chatter, mainly from the first years, for most of them knew not what would happen beyond this point. Up until now, based on what Renee had been hearing from the Oklans and what others had been saying around her, she'd know what to expect, though now was the time of truth, the time where everything would take it's turn once more. This is where the real mystery lied, and though she knew that part of the thrill of it lied within the sorting, she wished desperately that it would end, that she would be put in her house and say it was done.

The hall fell silent, for the hat atop the stool began to move... It's brim looked like it tore at first, but then Renee realized that it had actually expanded into a mouth. If this weren't bizarre enough, the hat then began to sing, it's melody filling the room with every note, echoing against the walls with it's pure, deep voice:

_The time has drawn near_

_That I must retire_

_For year after year_

_It has been my desire_

_To sort those of new_

_Into that home that shall be_

_The place of their being_

_Or not, we shall see_

_For those who've not heard_

_The great that's been in the hall_

_A legend was brought_

_Bringing goodness to all_

_And now here you stand_

_With the same hat that has met_

_The face of a hero_

_A fine life he's now set_

_And behind that I say_

_It has been this man's will_

_To provide best to all_

_That's why I serve him still_

_For if he sat there_

_I will not pretend_

_He's say it himself..._

_Let the sorting begin!_

Boisterous cheers chorused through the room once the hat had let out his final words. Renee looked confused, for she knew not the man at which he had spoken of.

"He's talking about Dumbledore of course," replied Sarah, still cheering with the rest of them as the question had been brought about. "He was possibly the greatest wizard to ever have served Hogwarts, and according to Amanda, the hat has been singing about him since his death years back."

Renee pondered this, ignoring the cheers that were still echoing around her. She still had a lot to learn, and she was ready to get to class already and just skip the introduction all together. Dumbledore, just the name sounded almost... royal, like he had been the king of Hogwarts during his time.

"Attention," said the voice of an unfamiliar woman at the front. "It is my duty and pleasure that I welcome each and every one of you back to Hogwarts this year. For those who don't know who I am, I am Professor Myerlhin, and I am, for the third year standing, the Headmistress here. I have some very important announcements for you before we begin our term, however I'll have to put them on hold, for our new first years here I'm sure are just shivering in anxiety about where our friend will place them. So, without further ado, I give the honor to Professor McGonagall to take it over from here."

Beaming at the first years, McGonagall said nothing until she pulled out a sheet of parchment that seemed to stretch down to the floor. The first student on the list, named Hannah Aiken, was called out to sit on the stool in the front of the hall. Renee thought about how dreadful it must be to be housed first, but she supposed that someone would have to do it...

"Tricky, this one is," the hat spoke loudly, making the first years jump out of their skins. "Tricky and... Troublesome. I do see potential in this one, however, so... RAVENCLAW!"

The hat's shout was followed by an uproar of cheers from the Ravenclaw table. Sarah couldn't help but suppress a grin, for Renee must have been thinking about what she had, that she wished to join her as well instead of going to Slytherin at which she knew would happen.

Next to be called up was an evil faced boy who was already wearing emerald green robes, as if he knew already he would be a Slytherin. So it was no surprised when the hat confirmed her suspicion, and he proceeded then to join his fellow classmates at his new table.

Time passed slowly, not easing the brick that seemed to Renee down. Every student who wound up in Slytherin looked as if they'd be just the type, pale faced, wicked grins... She would feel really out of place amongst them.

At last, the time had arrived... It was the "L"s who were sorted, followed by two "M"s, five "N"s, and then...

"Renee Oklan," McGonagall called out. Renee might have been paranoid, but she thought she heard some slight whispering among the crowd as she nervously stooped up to the stool. She sat down worriedly and waited for the professor to place the hat upon her head.

Thoughts swam through her head, some going in one ear out the other, and she tried to contain herself in order to hear what the hat was telling her. Among all she said, her deepest ambition showed up in her mind the most, I do not want to be placed in Slytherin!

Cheers echoed through the room once more, followed by vigorous clapping as the hat was then lifted from her head... Though Renee never did hear what it had said aloud, she knew, just knew, what had happened. So, sulking, she put her head down as she staggered over to the Slytherin table.

"Where are you going?" one of the students pointed out as she was about to take a seat. "Oi, Renee, the _Gryffindor_ table is HERE!"

Some people laughed at this remark, but this statement didn't make her feel embarrassed at all. Sudden joy had taken hold of her, for she didn't make Slytherin after all. Her thoughts must have worked, must have set the hat's mind for her... Albus had been right!

Without further speak, she ran over to her new table, her _true_ table and took a seat with her classmates. Some pointed at her and laughed, but she brushed this off, she had never been so excited within her life.

"What, thought you have to wind up with those _freaks?_" asked a familiar voice, for it had taken a moment to collect upon the idea that she was sitting next to Albus, and across from...

"Sarah!" she exclaimed. "You... You're in Gryffindor too!"

"Yes, apparently you're little confusion caused you to miss both mind and Albus' sorting. I'm rather shocked, honestly, I thought for certain that I'd be in Ravenclaw."

"Well, I guess you must have wanted Gryffindor more," she said enthusiastically.

Sarah couldn't help but smile. There they were together, in what was said to be the best of the houses at Hogwarts. She couldn't wait to tell her new parents about what had happened, she was so excited, it took forever to contain herself. Finally, she was able to calm down once food, out of nowhere, began filling up the tables, reminding Renee of her empty stomach. This was followed by the best meal that Renee thought she had ever tasted, either from her plain happiness or whatever, but she felt so content with this new life of hers. And tomorrow she would begin class, she'd be finally put this wand of hers to work. Imagining what sort they'd be taught on the first day, she realized she didn't care, for she suddenly felt very stiff and tired... She didn't try to fight it, but she soon found herself fast asleep at the table in the great hall as if nothing could ever wake her...


End file.
